Bearcat Wrap-up Podcast

Dr. Lee Smith
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things that Mena Public School staff members need or want to know presented in a discussion format. bearcatwrap.substack.com

  1. May 22

    Week 37: Celebrating a Strong Finish to the School Year

    Happy Final Friday! Once again, thank you for all you have done to finish up a good week of school and a great school year! As we close out the school year, our district performance targets give us every reason to celebrate. We set meaningful goals in attendance, school climate, and academic growth, and together our students, staff, and families rose to the challenge in impressive ways. Showing Up and Finishing Strong One of the brightest highlights of the year is that we exceeded our district attendance goal of 93.5% by finishing at 93.9%. This is the first time this has happened, and it is an outstanding accomplishment. It is definitely a reflection of the value our students, families, and staff place on being present, engaged, and ready to learn each day. A Meaningful Reduction in Discipline Referrals We also have much to celebrate in the area of school climate and student behavior. Our goal was to reduce discipline referrals by 10%, and we surpassed that goal with a 12.89% reduction, a strong sign that our schools are continuing to grow in positive culture, support, and student success. Growth Worth Celebrating Along with these important gains, we are encouraged by the academic improvements we have seen this year in English Language Arts, math, and science. Our schools have stayed focused on student learning, and that steady progress reflects the dedication, expertise, and persistence of our teachers, staff, and students. Thank You for a Great Year Thank you to everyone who made this school year such a success. As we wrap up Week 37, we do so with pride in what we have accomplished together, gratitude for the people who made it possible, and excitement about the momentum we are carrying forward. It was a good year of determination at Mena Public Schools. At Mena Public Schools, our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community is confident. Rest, recover, reflect, and have a great summer break! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

    2 min

  2. May 15

    Week 36: Turning the Tassels

    Happy Friday! Thank you for the steady work, encouragement, and professionalism you continue to bring to Mena Public Schools each day. As we move through the final stretch of the school year, I want to say again how much I appreciate the focus you have kept on our performance targets, including student learning, attendance, and school climate. This time of year allows us to reflect on progress, celebrate important milestones, and help students finish strong with the support and expectations they need. This week’s theme, “Turning the Tassels,” captures more than a graduation tradition. It represents transition, accomplishment, and the kind of growth that happens when students are consistently supported by caring adults, clear systems, and meaningful opportunities. Graduation is one of the most visible reminders that the daily work happening in classrooms, offices, cafeterias, buses, and activity spaces truly matters. Graduation Mena High School will celebrate the Class of 2026 at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday, May 16, at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium. Graduation is always a meaningful milestone, but it is especially powerful because it reflects years of steady growth, support, and shared investment from families, teachers, staff, and the larger Mena community. For many of these seniors, this journey began here many years ago as young children entering Kindergarten in Mena Public Schools. Others joined the Bearcat family somewhere along the way, and we are equally grateful for every student and family who became part of our district at any point in that journey. Whether they were here from the beginning or arrived later in their school life, we are proud to have walked beside them as they learned, matured, and prepared for what comes next. This moment connects directly to our district mission. Mena Public Schools exists to serve our community by instilling an individualized purpose in our students and staff, and graduation is one of the clearest examples of that mission becoming visible. As students cross the stage, we are seeing young people who have developed skills, discovered strengths, earned credentials, and grown in confidence through opportunities provided by both curriculum and community. Graduation also reflects our district vision that students and staff uplift one another and the community they serve. The Class of 2026 has been shaped not only by instruction but also by relationships, encouragement, accountability, and perseverance. Their story is a reminder that success is rarely a single moment; it is built over time through support, responsibility, and the willingness to keep moving forward through adversity. Graduation is one of those moments when we see that vision come to life, as students lift up their families, honor their teachers, and step forward ready to serve and strengthen our community or the communities they will enter. Our values are visible in this class as well. Service, accountability, relationships, growth, empowerment, and determination all matter in a moment like this because they help explain what students carry with them beyond graduation. Their accomplishments reflect more than credits earned or requirements completed. They reflect years of effort, learning from failure, accepting support, and growing into people who are better prepared to contribute to the world around them. This is why commencement means so much in Mena. It is not only a celebration of completion, but also a celebration of formation. It reflects the long arc of growth that begins in the early years, continues through every classroom and campus experience, and culminates in a moment when students quite literally turn the tassel and prepare to step into the future. America250 Freedom Truck We are also excited to share a special opportunity for Arkansas schools, educators, students, and families this summer. The America250 Freedom Truck, a traveling interactive exhibit that highlights the history, ideals, and future of the United States, will be in North Little Rock from June 26 through June 29 as part of the Arkansas Folklife Festival. This immersive experience is designed to bring American history to life through engaging visuals, technology, and primary-source storytelling. It offers a meaningful extension for educators looking to connect civic learning and historical understanding to real-world experiences, and it would be a great opportunity for families and student groups looking for something educational and accessible during the summer months. The event is free and open to the public, and it is the kind of opportunity that aligns well with the work of helping students understand their place in the larger story of our country while building background knowledge, curiosity, and civic awareness. Additional information about the Freedom Truck can be found at freedom250.org/freedom-truck, and information about the Arkansas Folklife Festival can be found at arkansasfolklifefestival.org. Year-End Staff Celebration As a reminder, Thursday, May 21, will be the final day of school for students, and Friday, May 22, will be our last in-service day of the year. As in years past, we will gather at approximately 10:30 a.m. in the PAC to celebrate staff achievements, recognize career milestones, and honor this year’s retirees. This ceremony is a special time to reflect on the incredible impact of your work and to close the year together as a district. Lunch will be served immediately following. If you are reaching a Mena School District years-of-service milestone (1, 5, 10, 15, etc.) or have achieved a significant accomplishment this year, please take a moment to complete this form so we can include you in our recognitions. Your response helps ensure that your contributions are acknowledged in front of your colleagues, and we have gifts for each milestone of service. Graduate Opportunities I want to share a professional growth opportunity for members of our teaching staff who may be considering graduate study or additional licensure. Henderson State University has several programs that may be a good fit for educators looking to expand their knowledge, strengthen their practice, or prepare for future leadership roles. The Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship may be applied toward the Master of Arts in Teaching, the MSE in Teacher Leadership, and the MSE in Special Education. The Teacher Opportunity Program may be used for the Educational Leadership program. These options offer different pathways depending on where you are in your career and professional goals. If one of these opportunities may fit your goals, details are available in this shared folder with the program flyers and scholarship information. Staff members who want to explore the programs more closely can review the documents there and follow up with Henderson State for further information. Closing Celebrations As our spring sports seasons begin to come to a close, I want to thank our student-athletes, coaches, and sponsors for the way they have represented Mena Public Schools. Across competitions, practices, and travel, they have carried themselves with effort, sportsmanship, and pride, and they have reflected well on our district and community. We are grateful for the commitment they have shown and for the many ways they have demonstrated what it means to compete with character. This time of year also brings many of the experiences students remember most, including field trips, field day games, class celebrations, parties, and other end-of-year activities that bring joy to our schools. These moments are fun and rewarding for students, but they also take thoughtful planning, extra coordination, and a great deal of energy from the adults who make them possible. Thank you to everyone who has organized, supervised, supported, and worked behind the scenes to create meaningful experiences for students as the year comes to a close. It was a good week of celebration at Mena Public Schools. At Mena Public Schools, our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community is confident. Rest and prepare for a good, final week next week, and have a nice weekend! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

    8 min

  3. May 7

    Week 35: Appreciating Our Teachers and Elevating Student Futures

    Happy Thursday! Thank you for the steady, professional work you bring to Mena Public Schools each day. As we move further into the closing stretch of the school year, our goals for student learning, attendance, and school climate remain in clear focus, and it is the consistent habits you carry into classrooms, hallways, buses, cafeterias, offices, and activity spaces that keep us moving in the right direction. This week brings a mix of reflection and forward momentum. We are honoring the daily work of educators during Teacher Appreciation Week, recognizing the relationships and instructional skill that make our recent gains possible. At the same time, we are continuously using college and career planning tools and approaches to help students connect their present efforts to future opportunities in concrete ways. This week’s Wrap-up reflects both of those realities. There is a clear focus on the people whose work shapes students’ lives every day, new data for our college and career planning efforts, and several closing celebrations that highlight how Bearcats are showing up in ways that will stay with them long after this school year ends. Teacher Appreciation and Redefining Ready This Teacher Appreciation Week, I am thinking about our work through the lens of “college-ready, career-ready, life-ready.” Readiness is measured by what students actually do: taking advanced and CTE courses, maintaining strong attendance, engaging in work-based learning, participating in activities, and building the social-emotional skills that help them persist. When we look at those kinds of indicators in our college and career reports highlighted later in this Wrap-up, what we are really seeing is the daily work of Mena educators showing up in the data. Every AP or dual-credit assignment you design, every CTE lab you run, and every time you use a club, practice, or rehearsal to reinforce attendance and belonging, you are pushing students closer to those readiness benchmarks. When our students meet college-ready or career-ready indicators, it is not an accident; it is the result of thousands of decisions made by teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, bus drivers, office staff, custodians, and administrators across the year. If you are a classroom teacher, I hope you take a moment this week to see yourself in those readiness stories. If you are in a support role, I hope you see how your consistency, relationships, and high expectations make it possible for students to show up and succeed. Teacher Appreciation Week is a reminder that our systems, our initiatives, and our goals only matter if they reflect and support the work you do with students every day. College & Career Planning 2026 Earlier this year, we committed to giving every student in grades 8–12 access to the Encourage college and career planning platform, along with a set of College & Career Planning 2026 resources. Encourage gives students a free web and mobile app to explore careers, compare programs, and discover scholarships, while giving educators tools to see student interests, track engagement, and use ready‑to‑go planning lessons. That combination is exactly the kind of system we have in mind when we say we want to be purposeful, not random, in how we prepare students for what comes after Mena. As of April 2, 293 students across three Mena schools have participated in the Encourage program, with roughly half identifying as female and half as male, and a significant share identifying as first‑generation college‑bound. The majority of participants are in the classes of 2026, 2027, and 2030, which gives us a strong view of both near‑term graduates and students who still have several years to plan. The postsecondary pathways report shows that large majorities of students in every group are considering public state colleges and universities, and that many are also interested in private colleges, community or junior colleges, and career and technical schools. Students who would be first‑generation college‑goers are just as likely to express interest in public and private college options as students whose parents completed college, which underscores the importance of the information and support they receive at school. At the same time, meaningful percentages of students are looking at apprenticeships, direct‑to‑work options, and the military, reminding us that “college and career ready” must include a range of high‑quality pathways. On the career interest side, health and medicine, finance and business, and art, design, entertainment, and media rise to the top, each drawing interest from around one‑quarter of students. Law, criminal justice, and protection services; architecture and engineering; and education and teaching also show up strongly, with clear patterns by gender and graduation year. For example, many students in the classes of 2028 and 2029 report interest in health and medicine alongside business, while students in earlier grades show growing interest in engineering and other technical fields. These reports are not just charts to look at once and file away; they are an invitation to ask, “If this is what our students say they want, how do we design the experiences, partnerships, and supports that match?” As we learn more, we will keep aligning our college and career work with local industry, high‑demand programs, and the two‑ and four‑year options our students are naming. At the same time, we will keep asking whether every student, especially those whose families did not complete college, has access to the information and encouragement to pursue the pathway that fits them best. Closing Celebrations The school year is coming to a close, but we still have had a lot to celebrate this week. Our track and field athletes turned in outstanding performances, including a state championship in the pole vault and another podium finish in the same event, representing Mena with grit and excellence. Our FFA chapter capped off the year with its 79th Annual End of the Year Banquet, recognizing the accomplishments of members from the 2025–2026 year and thanking the parents, staff, and community partners who helped make the evening and the program a success. We also honored our school nurses on National School Nurse Day, recognizing the essential role they play in student health, safety, attendance, and learning across all of our campuses. Good luck to our Bearcat baseball team this evening in the regional tournament as they take on Pea Ridge, and thank you for the hard work, preparation, and teamwork that brought you to this moment. We also wish our boys’ soccer team the very best as they are working hard for their own postseason play. We appreciate the effort, sportsmanship, and pride with which you represent Mena. It was a good week of appreciation at Mena Public Schools. At Mena Public Schools, our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community is confident. Tomorrow is our final planned school closure day of the year. So have a nice long weekend! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

    8 min

  4. May 1

    Week 34: Progress, Opportunity, and the Work That Matters

    Happy Friday! Thank you for the steady, professional work you continue to do across Mena Public Schools. As we move deeper into these final weeks of the year, our performance targets in student learning, attendance, and school climate remain in clear view, and the habits you bring each day to classrooms, hallways, offices, buses, cafeterias, and activity spaces are what keep us moving toward those goals. As we begin May, there is a great deal to be encouraged by across our district. This time of year asks a lot of schools. We are still carrying out work that matters greatly every day for students while also helping students and families look ahead to what is next. That combination matters because purpose grows when people can connect present effort to future opportunity. This week’s Wrap-up reflects both of those realities. There are strong signs of academic progress worth recognizing, several new opportunities connected to student learning and wellness, and another reminder that meaningful experiences often shape students in ways that last far beyond a single week or event. ATLAS Progress and What It Tells Us One of the clearest reasons for encouragement right now is the direction of our ATLAS Summative performance. Across the last three years, our overall proficiency moved from 34 percent to 44 percent in ELA, from 34 percent to 54 percent in math, and from 41 percent to 55 percent in science. Those gains are significant, especially in math and science, and they reflect steady improvement over time, indicating the professional growth you all have had. Several cohort trends are especially worth noting. In ELA, grades 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 all showed gains from 2024 to 2026, with the current 8th-grade cohort moving from 28 percent to 51 percent. In math, some of the strongest jumps include current 2nd grade up 21 points, 8th grade up 15 points, and Algebra up 21 points over that same span. In science, 3rd grade rose from 34 percent to 57 percent, 4th grade rose from 44 percent to 64 percent, and overall science proficiency increased by 14 points. Those results deserve to be recognized for what they represent. They reflect the daily work of classroom teachers, interventionists, paraprofessionals, counselors, instructional leaders, and support staff across the district. They also reflect students who have stayed with the work, families who have remained engaged, and schools that have kept expectations clear and support strong. It is important to add one note of caution here. While it is useful to look at year-to-year trends, the state department does not want schools trying to calculate their own official growth scores because the methods they use are not straightforward. Plus, not all testing is finished. We should absolutely celebrate the improvement we can see, but we also need to wait for the state’s official growth information rather than trying to reverse-engineer that process ourselves. Arkansas Future and Beyond The Arkansas Department of Education has released May’s Arkansas Celebrates America250 update, and the theme is Arkansas’s Future. This is a helpful reminder that history instruction should not only look backward. It should also help students see how past investments, innovation, and service shape what comes next. Through the Journey Across Arkansas resources, schools have access to ready-to-use lessons that highlight Arkansas innovators, industries, literacy connections, arts integration, and future pathways for students. The broader message of this month’s update is one that fits our district well. Students should be encouraged to connect with their heritage, celebrate what others have built, and think seriously about how they will contribute through advanced education, high-growth careers, military service, and community leadership. These are the kinds of connections that help learning feel purposeful. You can access all of the resources in this Commissioner’s Memo. Supporting Student Wellness The state is also promoting Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ #RazorbackReady2026 Fitness Challenge as a way to celebrate student wellness and build enthusiasm around physical fitness. This initiative is tied to the return of the Presidential Fitness Test in Arkansas public schools beginning in the 2026–2027 school year. Districts have the opportunity to participate by sharing a short video of students engaging in selected fitness activities, and the challenge aligns well with National Physical Education and Sport Week, which runs from May 1 through May 7. For our schools, this is about more than a challenge or a social media post. It is another reminder that physical health, school engagement, and student readiness to learn are connected. We appreciate the work our physical education teachers and staff do to help students build habits that support both wellness and learning. School of Conservation Leadership Another opportunity worth watching is the School of Conservation Leadership, a statewide initiative designed to help schools build hands-on, outdoor, and conservation-focused learning experiences. Programs like this matter because they connect classroom learning to the natural resources and outdoor economy of Arkansas in practical ways. They also give students additional opportunities to learn through movement, observation, exploration, and problem-solving rather than only through traditional classroom routines. The initiative includes standards-aligned curriculum, professional development, equipment support, and opportunities for schools to grow outdoor learning experiences over time. For a district like ours, that kind of opportunity fits well with the idea that meaningful learning should be connected to place, purpose, and the real world students live in. Besides all of the natural resources around our district, we also have the Duckett Outdoor Classroom as a wonderful location to apply these concepts. If you want to know more, please contact Brian Schuller, Science Specialist, at the DeQueen-Mena Educational Services Cooperative. Closing Celebrations This week brought one of those rare opportunities that students are likely to remember for a long time. A group of Mena students had the chance to learn filmmaking through an experience connected to Inclusion Films, giving them more than just exposure to a creative field by helping them build communication, teamwork, confidence, and the ability to move an idea from concept to completion. A filmmaker named Joey Travolta made this meaningful opportunity possible. He is a veteran filmmaker, former special education teacher, and founder of Inclusion Films, an organization focused on teaching filmmaking and creating meaningful pathways for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities while centering belonging, skill-building, and helping young people see themselves as capable contributors in meaningful work. Experiences like this reflect something important about the kind of school system we want to be. Students grow when they are given access to authentic work, supportive adults, and opportunities that help them see a future for themselves beyond the walls of a classroom. Today is School Lunch Hero Day to recognize our Food Service staff. It is a good reminder that their work goes far beyond serving meals—they create a welcoming environment, support attendance and readiness to learn, and take care of students in ways that often go unseen but never go unfelt. Today is also School Principals’ Day, and it highlights how much our campuses depend on steady, student-centered leadership. Our principals provide direction, encouragement, and support for students, staff, and families every day, and this is a good moment to pause and thank them for the way they lead and serve our schools. Next week also brings an important moment of celebration for two longtime Bearcats. On Monday, May 4th, we will honor the retirements of Ray Hunter and Tommy Johnson with a reception in the middle school library at 4:30 p.m., and everyone is invited to join in thanking them for their years of service. I have known these two men for most of my career, and their steady presence, commitment to students, and loyalty to this community have had a lasting impact on our school system. Their legacy is seen not only in the work they have done, but in the relationships they have built and the example they have set of what it means to serve well over time. It was a good week of gratification at Mena Public Schools. At Mena Public Schools, our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community is confident. Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a good weekend! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

    10 min

  5. Apr 23

    Week 33: Opportunity in the Weeks Ahead

    Happy Thursday! Being out of school tomorrow brings another early Wrap-up. Thank you for the steady, professional work you continue to do across Mena Public Schools. As we move deeper into these final weeks of the year, our performance targets in student learning, attendance, and school climate remain in clear view, and the habits you bring each day to classrooms, hallways, buses, cafeterias, and offices are what keep us moving toward those goals. This time of year requires us to do two things at once. We need to stay focused on the daily work that still matters greatly for students, and we also need to help students, staff, and families see what opportunities are ahead. That balance matters because purpose grows when people can see both the immediate work in front of them and the next step beyond it. As we move toward the end of the semester, I want to use this week’s Wrap-up to highlight a few opportunities connected to student growth, staff learning, and community engagement. Each one reflects something important about who we are as a district. We want students to experience meaningful learning beyond the classroom, we want staff to continue growing in practical ways, and we want our schools to remain deeply connected to the broader life of our community. Summer Opportunities for Students There is a great no-cost summer science opportunity for our high school students. Arkansas students entering 10th, 11th, or 12th grade in the 2026–2027 school year can apply for the free AEGIS Summer Camp: Project Water & Wilderness through the Ozark Natural Science Center. The two-week residential camp runs from July 18 through August 1, 2026, and gives students the chance to work alongside field researchers while exploring ecosystems across the Ozarks. Students in the program will participate in activities such as tracking reptiles with radio telemetry, learning about bird banding from ornithologists, monitoring bats using acoustic technology, sampling fish and aquatic life in the Kings River, and studying the night sky. The experience also includes a glade field study, canoe trip, and overnight camping expedition, making it a strong example of the kind of real-world learning that helps students build both knowledge and confidence. The application deadline is May 15, 2026, and families can learn more and apply at www.onsc.us/aegis. Summer Opportunities for Staff Our staff also has access to valuable summer professional development through Economics Arkansas. Mena Public Schools is a member district, and Economics Arkansas provides practical training that helps teachers connect economics, personal finance, and decision-making to everyday classroom instruction. These are the kinds of learning opportunities that can strengthen instruction while also giving teachers ideas and materials they can use immediately with students. I currently serve on the Economics Arkansas Board, and Tracy Floyd, first-grade teacher here in our district, serves as one of their ambassadors. That local connection makes this opportunity especially meaningful for us. One session I want to highlight is Cooking Matters, which will be offered here in Mena and includes a stipend for attendees. This is a strong example of professional learning that is practical, relevant, and tied to real-world readiness for both educators and students. Teachers interested in exploring the full summer catalog can register here by using the QR code in the summer catalog. Community Opportunity Through First Fridays One of the strengths of a community like ours is that schools do not grow in isolation. They grow stronger when students, families, staff, local organizations, and businesses share common spaces and common purpose. This year, the Mena Advertising & Promotion Commission is launching First Fridays as a new series of community events that will run from May through December on the first Friday of each month from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. These free, family-friendly evenings will feature live music, children’s activities, food, arts and crafts vendors, a street dance, and other opportunities for people to gather in downtown Mena. Most events will take place at the Historic KCS Depot, with June connected to the Lum & Abner Festival at Janssen Park and December held at the Old Armory as part of Winterfest. This also creates a practical opportunity for some of our student clubs and organizations. Groups looking for ways to raise funds, increase visibility, or connect their work to the community may want to consider participating as vendors. Vendor spaces are available in 10x10 booths for $20 per space, and nonprofit groups may apply through the vendor process provided by the Mena Advertising & Promotion Commission. For our students, this is more than a booth space. It is a chance to represent their organization well, engage with the public, and learn how service, leadership, and initiative can create real value in the community. Those interested in learning more about event details or vendor participation can use this folder for forms and information. Staying Focused on Our Purpose As we move through Week 33, please continue to keep a close eye on the same actions that support strong performance. Daily attendance. Calm, predictable expectations. Strong instruction. Supportive relationships. Clear communication with students and families. When those pieces are in place, we give ourselves the best opportunity to meet our performance targets and finish the year the right way. These final weeks are also a reminder that purpose is strengthened when people can connect effort to opportunity. When students see adults who remain steady, focused, and encouraging, they are more likely to believe they can keep growing, too. That is at the heart of our mission: helping every student and staff member build a strong sense of purpose and the skills to pursue it. In keeping with that idea, here is an interesting Reel posted on Instagram by Christopher Mukiibi. Closing Celebrations Our students have had another strong week of activity beyond the classroom. Mena wrestlers brought home top finishes at Freestyle State, reflecting both their hard work and the time invested by coaches and volunteers to help them grow in skill and character. On the track, our junior high athletes continue to perform at a high level, with strong individual and team showings at the conference meet that highlight their commitment to practice and competition. Our soccer teams added solid wins on the field, and our choir students are sharing their talents tonight in their spring concert that celebrates achievement, recognizes seniors, and reminds us how the arts contribute to a well-rounded education. Louise Durham Elementary’s Spring Picnic was a success, and I want to thank everyone who helped organize, support, and facilitate that event for students and families. Events like that take a great deal of planning and teamwork, and they help strengthen the relationships that matter so much in a school community. The other schools’ picnics are still ahead, and I appreciate the work and adjustment that is already going into making those events meaningful for those families as well. I also want to thank the teaching and administrative staff at Mena Middle School and Mena High School for spending time with parents last night during parent-teacher conferences. Those conversations matter. When schools and families stay connected, students benefit from the shared clarity, support, and encouragement that come from adults working together. This has also been a good week for student leadership and scholarship. Mena FFA members represented our district well at the Arkansas FFA State Convention and Expo, competing in leadership development events, earning scholarships, and being recognized for the strength of their chapter. Their work is a reminder that when students are given opportunities to lead, speak, and represent their school, they often rise to the occasion in impressive ways. Our BassCat anglers returned this year after the program had not been active for some time, and they opened that return with a strong result in their first tournament. We appreciate the sponsors who helped make that opportunity possible for our students. It was a good week of forward focus at Mena Public Schools. At Mena Public Schools, our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community is confident. Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a good long weekend! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

    9 min

  6. Apr 17

    Week 32: From Spring Effort to Summer Growth

    Happy Friday! As we move deeper into the spring stretch, I remain grateful for the steady, professional way you support students and one another. Our performance targets in attendance, discipline, and academic growth remain in clear view, and the habits you bring to classrooms, hallways, buses, and cafeterias each day are what keep us moving toward those goals. This week’s Wrap-up focuses on how we use the last weeks of school to keep students moving forward and how we are planning next year’s professional learning so it truly fits the people doing the work. I also want to thank you specifically for your conscientious approach to our ATLAS summative assessments as we move through the testing window. We are already receiving some scores back right away, which is a great benefit of the current system and gives us an early look at how students are performing. For the writing portion of the assessments, about 15% of student responses are hand-scored by human scorers to validate the AI scoring. Those results take a little longer to finalize, but this extra step helps ensure that the scores we receive are accurate, fair, and trustworthy reflections of the work you and your students have done all year. Finishing the Year the Right Way The environment we create in these final weeks matters as much as any single lesson plan. Students are watching how we respond when they struggle, how we talk about their future, and whether we truly believe they can still grow. When they see adults who are consistent, caring, and focused, they begin to believe those same things about themselves. Our classrooms, buses, cafeterias, and hallways all send a message, and you play a central role in shaping it every day. Academically, we know from our data that many of our students are within reach of important targets. That means the work right now is not about starting over; it is about moving students who are “close” into truly proficient territory. The way we plan questions, structure small groups, prioritize writing and reasoning, and use feedback in these next few weeks can nudge students across that line. Every conference, every re-teach, and every moment when a student gets to explain their thinking is another brick laid in their long-term success. As we move into next week, please keep a close eye on the same core levers that have served us well all year. Daily attendance, both for students and adults. A calm, predictable approach to behavior and classroom expectations. Strong Tier One instruction that uses the time we have with students very well. When those pieces are in place, the rest of our work has a solid foundation. Looking Ahead to 2026–2027 Learning As we look ahead to 2026–2027, we have finalized a district Employee Professional Development and Training Plan that outlines our required days, district priorities, and major opportunities for next year. You can review the full plan here: 2026–2027 MSD Employee Training Plan. This plan provides a backbone for our work, with a clear focus on curriculum and instruction, literacy engagement, and writing engagement. It also maps out required training days, district data days, parent conference hours, and additional opportunities offered through our partners. The plan includes on-site professional development, classroom work days, and conference days designed to support staff across all campuses. There are scheduled sessions for math instruction at different grade bands, lesson plan internalization, strategic reading, and district-wide data days that help us align what we teach with what students need. In addition, the plan highlights cooperative opportunities through DMESC, such as math intervention, writing aligned with ATLAS, and summer conferences that touch nearly every content area. Professional Learning that Fits You At the same time, I want to be very clear: our goal is not to simply “fill hours”; our goal is to grow people. A strong district plan gives us alignment, but the most powerful professional learning happens when it is connected to your actual needs, your Professional Growth Plan, and the students you serve every day. If there are trainings, conferences, or sessions you believe would benefit you more than what is currently listed, or would better fit your role and goals, we want you to have those opportunities. You have access to a wide range of options through DMESC, ADE, AR IDEAS, and professional organizations. The plan already points to sessions in areas like literacy, mathematics, science, CTE, early career exploration, dyslexia, mentoring and coaching, classroom behavior, and ESL support. In short, there is something there for almost every role, and the challenge will be making sure you know what is available and how it connects to your work. If you see a session, conference, or course that clearly aligns with your growth areas or instructional needs, please visit with your building administrator. We will work with you to see how it can fit with the district plan, required trainings, and available resources. When you invest in learning that truly matters to you, our students are the ones who benefit the most. This same mindset applies to our support staff, drivers, counselors, paraprofessionals, and all who serve students in roles that may not always be in the spotlight. Your learning matters just as much. If there is a training or certification that would help you serve students more effectively, strengthen safety, or make your daily work more sustainable, I want us to talk about it. The purpose of our professional development system is to support you, not box you in. Staying Focused on Our Purpose As we move through Week 32, please continue to treat these tasks—finishing strong with students and planning your own learning—as one more way to advocate for your students and for one another. Building strong relationships, holding high expectations, and providing the kind of feedback that helps students believe they can grow remain the core of our work. When students experience adults who are both supportive and demanding in the best sense of the word, they develop confidence that carries far beyond our classrooms. That is at the heart of our mission: helping every student and staff member build a strong sense of purpose and the skills to pursue it. Closing Celebrations Mena baseball picked up a hard-fought road win at Booneville on Monday, edging out their hosts 9–8. It is good to see our players continuing to compete well, respond in pressure situations, and represent our community the right way as they move through a busy spring schedule. Our track and field athletes at both the junior high and senior high levels continue to perform very well in recent meets. Across events, our Bearcats and Ladycats are turning in strong efforts, earning top finishes, and showing steady improvement as the season progresses. Their work on the track and in the field reflects a lot of time invested in practice and a commitment to competing with character and effort. As a reminder, if you have not yet completed the DeQueen–Mena Educational Service Cooperative user feedback survey that was shared last week, please take a few minutes to do so. Your input directly shapes the services and professional learning the co-op provides in the future and helps ensure that support remains aligned with the work you are doing every day. You can access the survey here: DMESC User Satisfaction Survey. It was a good week of determination at Mena Public Schools. At Mena Public Schools, our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community is confident. Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a nice weekend! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

    8 min

  7. Apr 10

    Week 31: Verifying What Matters

    Happy Friday! As we move deeper into the spring stretch, I remain grateful for the steady, professional way you support students and one another. Our performance targets in attendance, discipline, and academic growth remain in clear view, and the habits you bring to classrooms, hallways, buses, and cafeterias each day are what keep us moving toward those goals. This week’s Wrap-up focuses on a behind-the-scenes task that has real implications for how our work is measured and recognized, an update on summer professional learning from our Teacher Center Committee meeting, and several celebrations that show how our students are growing in academics, the arts, and athletics across the district. Getting Credit For Your Work The state Roster Verification System window is now open in LEA Insights, and this step is essential to ensuring Merit Teacher Incentive Fund rewards are based on accurate and fair data. Roster verification is how we confirm that every student is correctly linked to the teacher who actually provided instruction, so that growth scores and future merit pay decisions reflect your work with students. This year, roster verification includes both our traditional ATLAS-tested areas and our earliest grades. That means teachers who serve students in grades K through 2, as well as teachers in grades 3 through 10 English language arts, grades 3 through 8 mathematics, algebra, geometry, and tested science courses, will verify that their rosters are correct. For K through 2 teachers, this is a forward-looking step. The state is beginning to collect and link K through 2 scores now so that, after three years of data, those grade levels can also be included in merit pay calculations. Careful roster verification this spring is what will make it possible for early elementary growth to count in future years. Our local deadline for completing teacher-level roster verification will be ten days before the state final due date. We build in that time so principals and I can review and certify everything before it goes to the state. Please do not wait until the last week of the window to begin. The earlier you log in and review your rosters, the more time we have to correct any issues and ensure that you receive full credit for the students you serve. The state has provided a helpful set of slide decks and short videos to walk teachers and administrators through the Roster Verification System. These resources are available on the state department Roster Verification System page and are organized by role, including Primary and Secondary Teachers of Record, Potential Collaborators, Building Administrators, and District Administrators. I encourage you to use the slide deck and video that match your role as you complete your verification. If you need assistance after reviewing those materials, please reach out at the building level first so we can support you quickly. Our goal is simple and important. Every student correctly linked to the right teacher, every time. When the state calculates growth and merit incentives, we want those numbers to reflect the real work that you do with students each day. Teacher Center Committee Meeting at DMESC This week, our spring Teacher Center Committee for the DeQueen-Mena Educational Service Cooperative (DMESC) met to complete one of our three required annual meetings and to provide feedback on school needs while previewing summer professional development. The Teacher Center Committee continues to play an important role for us by serving as a direct line between schools and the co op. Their input helps shape the kinds of support and training that are offered, and it keeps the focus on what our teachers and students actually need. The co op team shared a wide range of summer professional development offerings that touch nearly every content area. There will be math sessions focused on fluency and foundational number sense, literacy sessions from state specialists that support writing, comprehension, and planning an effective literacy block, and science sessions that use high-quality instructional materials and ATLAS data to guide instruction. In addition, there are opportunities in CTE, early career exploration, dyslexia, mentoring and coaching, classroom behavior, and ESL support. In short, there is something here for almost every teacher, and the challenge will be making sure you know what is available. One key update for us involves RISE training. The K–2 and 3–6 RISE Academies scheduled at our co-op will not make because they did not meet the state minimum of fifteen registered participants. Teachers who still need RISE proficiency will need to register at other co-ops, such as Dawson, Southwest, Guy Fenter, or Arch Ford. Those sessions are already filling, so if you still need this requirement, please register as soon as possible rather than waiting until later in the summer. Click here for a list of dates and locations. The meeting also highlighted several important opportunities connected to CTE and early career readiness. Pre-educator pathway trainings are scheduled for late July, and districts are encouraged to send their pre-educator teachers to both days so that these pathways remain strong options for students who are interested in the teaching profession. Schools that serve grades six through eight will also have a chance to send a team to an early career exploration training in September. Participation in that training will be tied to eligibility for Paxton Patterson Career Exploration Kit grants, which could provide additional hands-on experiences for our middle school students. Another theme of the meeting was targeted support in areas where we know there are gaps. A new Geometry Nexus collaborative will bring geometry teachers together across districts to align curriculum maps with standards, address the disconnect between current materials and the state assessment, and build a shared set of resources. Dyslexia support will expand through Level 2 screener training at Dawson Co-op and through on-site “What Every Educator Needs to Know About Dyslexia” sessions that districts can schedule. Coaching and mentoring opportunities will come through John Wink training for experienced teachers who support novices, and there will be additional literacy sessions, such as Strategic Reading Days for middle school teachers. Our next steps as a district are straightforward. We will identify staff who still need RISE or other required training and help them register at available sites. We will ensure that pre-educator pathway teachers are signed up for both summer sessions and that we have appropriate teams registered for early career exploration training so we remain eligible for grant opportunities. We will also continue to monitor the co-op professional development offerings, paying attention to both the updated and the canceled sessions, so that our staff receives accurate information as they make summer plans. Finally, please take a few minutes to complete the DMESC user satisfaction survey for this year if you have not already done so. Anyone in our district who uses the co-op in any capacity is invited to respond. Your feedback directly shapes the services and professional learning that DMESC provides in the future, and it is an important way to make sure that support remains aligned to the work you are doing every day. Looking Ahead As we move into next week, please keep a close eye on the same core levers that have served us well all year. Daily attendance, both for students and adults. A calm, predictable approach to behavior and classroom expectations. Strong Tier One instruction that uses the time we have with students very well. When those pieces are in place, the rest of our work has a solid foundation. If you have not yet logged into LEA Insights to review your rosters, next week is a good week to begin. A few focused minutes now will save you stress later and will help us avoid last-minute corrections at the end of the window. If you are planning summer professional development, please carefully review the offerings that best match your role and your students' needs, and communicate any questions through your principal so we can support you in that planning. Thank you for treating these tasks as one more way to advocate for your students and for one another. Closing Celebrations Mena Soccer hosted Bauxite at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium this week, with the Ladycats battling in a close match and the Bearcats earning a solid 3–1 win. Both teams continue to gain valuable experience as they move through the season, and they will be back on the field this evening in Nashville as they keep representing our community well. Our student artists did great at the Mena Art Gallery youth show, bringing home multiple top awards across categories. It is encouraging to see our art students using their skills and creativity to such a high standard and to see their work recognized in a public setting. Mena Middle School theatre students recently brought “Julius Caesar” to life for AP Literature and Theatre classes, giving our high school students a live performance that connected classic text with real stage experience. Their work on this production reflects strong collaboration between our middle school and high school programs and gives students another powerful way to build confidence, communication, and a deeper understanding of literature. Mena baseball earned a strong win over Ozark this week at Union Bank Park. It is good to see our Bearcats and Ladycats staying competitive, learning from each contest, and supporting one another as they move through a busy spring schedule. The seventh-grade Bearcat track team turned in an impressive performance at the Waldron Bulldog Relays, finishing as runner-up in the meet. Their work on the track reflects a lot of effort in practice and shows how our younger athletes are learning to compete the right way. Our Senior Ladycat Tr

    13 min

  8. Apr 2

    Week 30: Momentum Matters

    Happy Thursday! Thank you for the work you continue to do across Mena Public Schools as we move deeper into the final stretch of the school year. This time of year always brings both urgency and fatigue, but it also reveals the strength of a district. The steady effort taking place across our classrooms, offices, buses, cafeterias, and campuses is what keeps us moving toward our performance targets and keeps our mission in front of students each day. I am grateful for the consistency, care, and professionalism you continue to show. As we move toward the close of the year, I want to use this Wrap-up to provide a brief overview of our district performance targets, highlight a few encouraging indicators, and remind us that the final weeks of a school year matter greatly. The work done now has a lasting effect on student growth, student confidence, and the way we finish together as a district. Staying Focused on What Matters Most Throughout the year, we have aligned our efforts around clear district performance targets related to academic growth, attendance, and a positive school environment. These are not separate initiatives. They work together. When students are present, engaged, and supported in an orderly learning environment, achievement becomes more likely. When instruction is intentional and aligned to standards, growth becomes less accidental and more predictable. You can review our full district performance targets and progress here:Mena Public Schools District Performance Targets There are several reasons for us to be encouraged at this point in the year. Our current district attendance rate is 94.0%, which is above our target of 93.5%. That is worth recognizing. Daily attendance is one of the clearest conditions for success, and remaining above target reflects the effort our staff has made to build schools where students are welcomed, expected, and supported. We also have encouraging signs in school climate and behavior. Through Week 30, our district has recorded fewer discipline referrals than we had at this same point last year, decreasing by 14.28 %. That improvement reflects the intentional work being done by teachers, principals, support staff, and all employees who help create consistent expectations for students. A better learning environment does not happen by accident. It is built day by day through routines, relationships, and clear standards. There are bright spots across our campuses as well. Mena Middle School and Mena High School are both currently above 94 percent attendance, which reflects the strength of their routines, relationships, attendance policies, and shared expectations. Those results are encouraging because they show that consistent systems and daily effort are making a difference for students. Just as important, we continue to see evidence of stronger instructional focus across the district. Our emphasis on writing across the curriculum, attention to standards, and close monitoring of student progress are all helping to strengthen learning. Better writing supports better thinking, and better thinking supports better reading, understanding, and problem-solving in every content area. That work extends far beyond a test and strengthens the future functioning of our students in school, work, and community life. This is the part of the year when small, consistent actions matter most. A well-timed check for understanding, a strong review, a clear expectation, an encouraging word, or a corrected misconception can make a real difference for a student. Let us take encouragement from the progress we have made while remaining committed to the work still ahead. Cooperative Feedback Opportunity It is also time again for the annual DMESC User Satisfaction Survey for 2026. This survey is for everyone in our district who uses DeQueen-Mena Educational Service Cooperative services in any capacity. Your feedback is important because it helps the cooperative evaluate its support and improve the services, resources, and professional learning opportunities provided to the districts it serves. Please take a few moments to complete the survey and encourage others in our district who utilize co-op services to do the same. The survey will remain open through May 31. DMESC User Satisfaction Survey - 2026 Looking Ahead While our focus remains on finishing this school year well, I also want to share something positive to look forward to next year. We have booked Jason Curry as the keynote speaker for our back-to-school convocation. Jason Curry is known for delivering messages about purpose, mindset, and commitment that challenge people to raise their expectations and take ownership of their growth. His message aligns well with who we are and what we are trying to build as a district. One of his recurring ideas is that excellence is not something that appears all at once. It is built through repeated choices, steady effort, and a willingness to grow. That is a message worth remembering now as much as it will be worth hearing in August. The habits we strengthen in these final weeks of school are the same kinds of habits that shape the culture and momentum of an entire year. We believe his message will encourage us, challenge us, and help us begin next year with strong energy and shared purpose. We are excited for our staff to hear him. Closing Celebrations Our students continue to represent Mena Public Schools well in a variety of settings. This week, our Gifted and Talented students competed in regional chess tournaments and performed at a high level, earning top finishes while also demonstrating sportsmanship, focus, and discipline. Success in those settings reflects both preparation and poise, and we are proud of their efforts. Yesterday was Paraprofessional Appreciation Day, and I want to express sincere gratitude to our paraprofessionals across the district. They are essential members of our educational team. They support instruction, help meet individual student needs, strengthen relationships, and contribute every day to the smooth operation of our schools. Their impact is significant, and we are thankful for their dedication and service to students and staff alike. In athletics, our teams continue to compete hard and represent our district with pride. All of our spring sports were in action this week, with several team victories and individual winners. Our students continue to demonstrate effort, resilience, and school pride as they move through the spring season. It was a good week of action at Mena Public Schools. At Mena Public Schools, our students are prepared, our staff is supported, and our community is confident. Keep the #menareads posts and videos coming, and have a nice Easter Weekend! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bearcatwrap.substack.com

    8 min
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About

things that Mena Public School staff members need or want to know presented in a discussion format. bearcatwrap.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Lee Smith
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    135
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Lee Smith
  • Show Website
    Bearcat Wrap-up Podcast